Have Shotgun Will Won't Travel
I know lots of shooters travel with their shotguns, but I've never traveled by plane with my gun. I've always been afraid of the hassle. What's involved in taking my shotgun on a plane?
I often teach or meet shooters who have never flown with a shotgun. It's amazingly easy, even after 9/11.
First, prior to departure day, check with the airline you'll be flying and the airports you'll be traveling through, as not all airlines and airports have the same restrictions and requirements. Having said that, the pointers outlined here are true for … [Read more...]

When Indiana McDonald's restaurant owners Glenn and Kathy Lubeznik decided to chair a sporting clays tournament in 1999 to raise money for the Chicago Ronald McDonald House, little did they realize at the time how big the fundraising movement would become. They hosted 137 participants and raised $16,000. People had a lot of fun, too.
That one event became the impetus for the creation of the Kids & Clays organization, which this year will host more than 20 fundraising clays tournaments. Since 1999, it has raised more than $14 million for Ronald McDonald House Charities. And since that … [Read more...]

In reviewing your member records, you may have noticed a new statistic in your Member Data, the Current Class Ratio. Here's what it means:
The NSCA Advisory Council and Executive Council have reviewed the current procedures for end-of-year reviews of members' classifications and have adjusted the process for determining who will be offered down-classing at the 2016 year-end review.
NSCA divides competitors into 7 classes. A member proceeds to move up in a class after a certain number of wins/placements in their current class. These wins/placements are represented by punches. When a … [Read more...]

Picking a Squad for Nationals
I want to go to the National Championship but don't really know anyone else going. One of my shooting buddies went to Nationals by himself a few years ago and, while it was a great experience, his squad wasn't that great. Any tips on picking a squad since it will be my first time going to Nationals and don't know anyone else going?
The National Championship is fast approaching and the squadding is definitely tightening up. As for selecting the right squad to shoot with at the National Championship, my advice is to start local. Inquire at your … [Read more...]

Sporting clays shooting has become one of the major charity fundraising opportunities of our time. Many of us have had the opportunity to go to a fundraising event through the years, but one recent fundraiser stands out for its success. Last April a single mother of two children went to her doctor for a standard checkup. Raven is a 35-year-old woman with no visible health concerns or problems. However, when she left the doctor's office that day, her world was turned upside down. Raven was diagnosed with stage 4 colon cancer.
This is where the story becomes a little brighter. As her employer … [Read more...]

In case you're keeping score in the 2016 Regional Sporting Clays Championships battle, the tally is Bill McGuire - 3, everyone else - 1. The two-time NSCA Tour Champion improved his chances of winning a third one by capturing the North Central Regional Sporting Clays Championship at Northbrook Sports Club, notching his third regional title of 2016 and his sixth in two years.
Two of seven events - the National Championship and the Southeast Regional - remain in this year's Championship Tour.
Trailing McGuire by one target, Will Hinton was runner-up, followed by third-place Doug Vine at … [Read more...]

Regardless of your classification, the number of targets you shoot, or how long you've been shooting, there's a good chance you have an opinion about the NSCA classification system. We'd like to hear your opinion.
The NSCA Rules and Classification Committee is evaluating our current classification system to determine if changes are needed and, if so, how it might be improved upon. We have developed a survey to garner your feedback and urge all NSCA members to complete it. In addition to questions you can answer quickly with one click, you'll have the opportunity to make comments.
Thank … [Read more...]

Save the dates for the 2017 NSCA Championship Tour events, including the five Regional Championships, U.S. Open, National Sporting Clays Championship, and for 2017, the World English Sporting Championship.
The events, host clubs and dates are:
March 23-26
Western Regional
Coyote Springs Sporting Clays
Tucson, AZ
April 27-30
World English Sporting Championship
National Shooting Complex
San Antonio, TX
May 16-21
Northeast Regional
M&M Sporting Clays
Pennsville, NJ
June 5-11
U.S. Open
Big Red Oak Plantation
Gay, GA
August 3-6 … [Read more...]

Strategies for Chandelles
Chandelles are giving me trouble. I think I'm shooting over and end up chasing them. Can you give me advice on shooting chandelles?
If you are having trouble breaking chandelle targets, or arcing targets, it is likely because of the unique characteristics of the chandelle that differentiate it from other target presentations:
1) it is showing either all belly or all face, which tricks the brain into believing that it is moving slower than it really is
2) it is arcing and thus changing trajectory throughout its flight path, and
3) it is in … [Read more...]

American shooters have dominated the world stage yet again with new World Championships for both individuals and teams at the 2016 World FITASC Sporting Championships in Italy. Derrick Mein is the new World FITASC Champion, becoming the second NSCA shooter in less than a month to top the podium at a world event, following Anthony Matarese Jr.'s World English win.
Hunter Dreher also won the Junior gold medal for the second time in as many competitions, winning back-to-back Junior World Championships at the World FITASC and World English.
Sharing the podium with Mein were England's 26-time … [Read more...]

Northbrook Sports Club in Hainesville, Illinois, is ready for hundreds of sporting clays and FITASC shooters to arrive for two of the year's biggest events, the North Central Regional Sporting Clays and National FITASC Championships, on August 15-21. The North Central Regional is the fifth of seven events in the 2016 NSCA Championship Tour, and both events are selection shoots for the USA Sporting Clays and FITASC teams.
Northbrook promises abundant targets -- set by Greater Houston Gun Club's Adam Blair, Fossil Pointe's David Niederer, and the Northbrook staff -- including:
50-target … [Read more...]

You can win a Blaser F3 Super Luxus Competition Sporting shotgun during the National Sporting Clays Championship in October.
Raffle tickets sell for $100 and will benefit the USA Sporting Clays Team. Valued at $16,000, the shotgun is custom engraved and has 32-inch barrels with wood grade 6.
Northbrook Sports Club is sponsoring the raffle. To purchase tickets, contact Brett Seibert, 847-223-5700.
… [Read more...]

Anthony Matarese Jr. has become the first American ever to win the World English Sporting Championship, taking the individual Gold Medal last week on the E.J. Churchill Shooting Grounds in England. Matarese finished the regulation main event with a three-target lead and held the margin through the six-man super final shoot-off to earn the World Championship. Mike Wilgus also qualified for the super final and finished the competition sixth overall.
NSSA-NSCA's Clay Target Nation magazine recently profiled Matarese as a hard-working, driven competitor and for his wide-ranging activities in … [Read more...]

NSSA and NSCA members who support the mission of the Scholastic Clay Target Program (SCTP) have a new way to demonstrate their support of the youth shooting program.
The Scholastic Shooting Sports Foundation (SSSF), parent organization of SCTP and the Scholastic Action Shooting Program (SASP), is offering a new membership level for individuals dedicated to securing the future of youth shooting sports in America. You can now join the Scholastic Shooting Sports Foundation as a Supporting Member.
Until now, one had to be an athlete or volunteer coach in the Scholastic Clay Target Program … [Read more...]